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Dolly Parton’s parents were Robert Lee Parton and Avie Lee Parton. She was born on January 19, 1946, in Locust Ridge, Tennessee, and grew up as the fourth of their twelve children in a poor, musical family in the Great Smoky Mountains. Parton has said that her mother’s family shaped her musical upbringing and that she saw her father as a model for her business sense.
Who were Dolly Parton’s parents?
Robert Lee Parton and Avie Lee Parton were Dolly Parton’s parents. Her official biography gives her birth date as January 19, 1946, and places her birth in Locust Ridge, Tennessee; a 2026 U.S. Senate resolution also names her parents and describes her as the fourth of twelve children. Dolly Parton’s official biography · U.S. Senate Resolution 862
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The official biography describes the household as poor and musical, in the Great Smoky Mountains. Parton’s own accounts offer a more personal view of that childhood, including farm work and the children’s responsibilities in the fields.
What did Dolly Parton’s father do?
Parton’s recollections describe her father in different occupations at different points in his life. She recalled that the family farmed when she was young and that the children had field work to do. In the published Dolly on Dolly interview transcript, he is described as doing construction work at the time of that interview. These accounts refer to different periods, not a single occupation for his entire life. Dolly on Dolly interview transcript preview
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Parton also spoke about her father’s education and business ability in a CBS News profile. She said, “My dad never could read and write,” but described him as smart and skilled at making business deals. She added, “I feel like I get my business sense from my daddy.” Those are Parton’s own observations about her father and his influence, rather than an independent assessment of his abilities. CBS News: “Dolly Parton: Nobody’s Fool”
Was Dolly Parton’s mother musical?
Parton has described music as part of her mother’s family background. In the CBS News profile, she said, “All my momma’s people were very musical.” This is her recollection of her maternal relatives and the musical environment she grew up around.
A publisher-hosted excerpt from Randy Schmidt’s biography Ain’t Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton also discusses Avie Lee Owens’s musical family background. Schmidt’s excerpt says Robert Lee Parton and Avie Lee Owens married on August 17, 1939; that specific date and the extended family details are claims reported in the biography excerpt. Macmillan excerpt for Ain’t Nobody’s Fool
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How many children were in the Parton family?
Dolly Parton was the fourth of twelve children. Her official biography and the 2026 Senate resolution both give that sibling count. In the Dolly on Dolly interview transcript, Parton also describes twelve children in the family and names her parents as Robert Lee and Avie Lee.
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- Packed with never-before-seen photographs and classic memorabilia|Explores personal stories candid insights and myriad memories behind the songs|Learn the history behind classic Parton songs like “Jolene ” “9 to 5 ” “I Will Always Love You ” and more.|The perfect gift for Dolly Parton fans (everyone loves Dolly!) as well as lovers of music history and country
Parton recalled that the family had very little and that the children worked in the fields while the family farmed. These recollections describe her own family’s circumstances; they should not be taken as a general account of every Appalachian family or every year of the Partons’ lives.
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